The current invention is directed at decorative and protective covers for wheels, or wheel simulators for wheels. More particularly, the current invention is directed at an improved attachment between the wheel simulator and the wheel.
Automobiles are the main form of transportation currently used in the United States. Various efforts have been made in the past to improve the function, use, and appearance of these automobiles both externally and internally. For example, the concept of using covers for wheels for both protective and decorative purposes is known in the art.
Various devices and structures have commonly been used to secure wheel covers to the wheels of vehicles in order to enhance the aesthetic value of the vehicle and apply a level of protection from particles and fluids entering the wheels. Since wheel covers commonly include a large number of parts which require specialized tools in order to affix the covers to the vehicle's wheels. These prior art wheel covers normally require an extended period of time for installation due to the excessive number of parts and lack of familiarity of the user with those parts.
Additionally, certain of these prior art wheel cover systems may require installation with specialized tools, which can complicate the installation process. If the specialized tools are not used correctly, installation may be improper and the cover may detach while the vehicle is in motion or fail to protect the wheel or provide an appeasing aesthetic look. Additionally, any removal, retightening, or resecuring of such prior art wheel cover systems requires the use of the specialized tool. If this specialized tool is not kept with the vehicle and wheel covers, then these prior art wheel covers are not normally removable without damaging or breaking these prior art wheel covers.
Correspondingly, if the tire or wheel with which these prior art wheel covers is damaged, the specialized tool is required for removing the prior art wheel covers in order to access the lug nuts and other vehicle wheel parts located behind the cover. As such, when the automobile which has these prior art special covers is in need of maintenance in the wheel, axle, or brake area, the specialized tool once again is required. Again, absence of the specialized tool during remove of the prior art wheel covers normally results in damage to the prior art wheel covers.
Additionally, there have been other prior art attempts, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,652,036, 6,082,829, 5,542,750, 5,340,201, and 5,031,965 that either require the wheel cover to attach directly under the lug nuts of the wheel or use some type of glue to glue the wheel cover into place. Both of these are typically undesirable. First, there are restrictions and safety issues associated with altering the attachment between the lug nuts and vehicle studs, which attaches the wheel and tire to the axle of the vehicle. As such, any attachment of a wheel cover to the wheel should not base that attachment between the contact face of the lug nuts and the surface of the wheel. Second, there is difficulty associated with the removal of wheel covers that have been glued to the wheel when maintenance is needed in the wheel, brake, tire, and axle areas.
There have still been prior art attempts to make a wheel cover that snaps into place or fits into the peripheral edge of the vehicle wheel. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,402,253, 6,409,277, and 6,672,678 are directed at wheel covers that include an outer wheel edge clip that is designed to lock into the peripheral edge of the vehicle wheel. These patents have several drawbacks in the fact that each wheel cover must be sized, normally within a small tolerance range, for each wheel to which it is placed. This restricts the use of these wheel covers to retrofit vehicles. Additionally, these wheel covers require the wheel to have an extended outer peripheral edge or have enough lip to engage specific portions of these wheel covers. Once again this can severely limit the types and numbers of wheels to which these wheel covers can be used.
As such, the current available wheel covers and their attachment systems do not provide sufficient aesthetic appeal while facilitating attachment to and removal from the wheel. In addition, the current wheel covers typically require either large assembly times or specialized tools.
What is needed then is a wheel cover and associated attachment system which reduces the number of parts used in order to securely attach the wheel cover to the vehicle. Such a cover and attachment system preferably does not require the use of specialized tools for installation or removal and reduces the number of steps in the installation process and can still maintain a secure attachment of the wheel cover to the vehicle. This needed wheel cover and attachment system is lacking in the art.